The Land of Dragons and Riders
by ArrickJ
Summary: My first try at a fanfiction, it isn't too good but I put thought in to it and that is what matters


Title: The Land of Dragons and Riders

The sky was endlessly gray. Eragon was glad he had enough sense to have warm clothing with him, for the cold bit at his skin ferociously. Saphira had lit a fire to warm him and the elves against the frigid air of the great ocean, but the extra layer had added even more comfort. Sailing, Eragon come to the conclusion, was not as zestful as flying on Saphira's back, but it was much more practical, seeing as there were about six of them to fly and their precious cargo of dragon eggs.

"When we find this land, shall we give it a name?" Eragon said out loud, to nobody in particular. After a lengthened silence, Blodgharm was the first to speak. In his voice that sounded both eloquent and feral, he said "Perhaps we may call it Haven, for that is what it shall be." Eragon pondered the idea, but decided it may be best to consider other options. In his head, he thought of his old home, Carvahall. Until just a few months prior, it had been all he had ever known, and he loathed that the empire had razed it in their pursuit of his cousin, Roran. He suggested the name to his compatriots.

Saphira was also attuned to the idea, because it was where she had hatched and where she bound herself to Eragon so many months ago. _It would be a good memory of your old home, but perhaps not for our new one. Our goal is not to recreate what was lost, but to forge a new path for ourselves, and for the future of all dragon riders. _Realizing she made a good point, he began to ponder other options. He was deep in thought when the gold dragon Glaedr, his former teacher, spoke his own Glaedr had died many months ago, his crystalized Eldunari held his former mind and strength, which was still quite formidable. _We should call it Argetsverdar, for it will be both Righteous and Formidable. It will hold both the protectors of the world, and the fiercest warriors it has ever known. _

Argetsverdar, meaning Silversword in the ancient language, seemed like quite the fitting name for a land of Dragons and Riders. The elves seemed to be in agreement with Glaedr, so it was decided that the name of their haven would be Silversword. Not much happened for a while after their discussion, except for the occasional birds that flew close to the ship, only to flee in a jolt once they caught notice of Saphira, or the aura akin to a predator that Blodgharm seemed to have around wild animals. Eragon felt a strange admiration for Blodgharms' unnatural appearance, because it was quite uncommon for an elf to deviate from any normalized appearance of their race, but they all looked akin to a human lord or baron, so he decided to avoid any assumptions.

"Brace yourselves, a storm looms on the horizon" the elven woman Yaela said, perched on the front of the ship. Eragon looked ahead, a tinge of dread lurking in his thoughts. The last ocean storm he had endured had been a miserable experience, and he had come close to death. This storm did not seem quite as violent as the previous storm, but Eragon and the others feared for the safety of the eggs within the ship. _Perhaps if we all join minds, we can create a barrier that prevents the water from getting in to the ship. _Saphira suggested to Glaedr and Eragon.

Glaedr was the first to speak. _It would be wiser to go inside and shield a smaller area, and we must also find a source of heat for the eggs, lest they freeze and die. _Except for the tw dragon eggs that Arya had kept in the mainland, their cargo held all the dragon eggs remaining in existence. Because of this, the group was fiercely devoted to ensuring their safety, even if it meant sacrificing their own. Nobody seemed to have any better ideas, nor a desire to pointlessly endure the brunt of the storm, so they gathered their belongings and went inside to stay with the eggs, to ensure they did not topple or shatter.

Once inside, Eragon muttered a single phrase, causing the blade of his sword to be lit ablaze with a brilliant blue flame: Brisinger. The word, which translated to "fire" in the ancient language, was also the name given to his sword. For reasons that were still a mystery to him, saying the name also caused the blade to ignite, which was a double-edged sword (pun intended), for it also meant he could not use the spell whenever applicable without needing to put extra thought into where his sword is. Following the light, they walked to wear the eggs were and began the necessary incantations. Eragon, Blodgharm, and Yaela would work to keep the eggs warm and stationary, while Saphira, Glaedr, and the rest of the elves would work to keep any water from gathering on the deck of the ship.

Upon reaching the lower deck of the ship, Eragon gazed upon the dragon eggs with an awe that never seemed to wane, no matter how many times he saw them. Dragons, above all else, were beautiful, and even their eggs radiated the great power of their race. He thought back to the memories of his dearest friend and ally Arya, the recently appointed queen of the elves, and the dragon that had hatched for her as well. Her dragon, Firnen, was a radiant shade of green and grew almost to the size of Saphira in the few months after he was born. Saphira loathed to leave behind in the same way Eragon hated to leave Arya, for she admired Firnen greatly and thought him a suitable mate.

_We have more important matters to concern ourselves with than love than cannot be, little one _Saphira said, with a subtle hint of sadness in her voice.

_I know but I ju- _Whatever thought Eragon was formulating was interrupted by a sudden rocking of the ship

_These waves are bigger than they looked _He thought to himself, thinking back again to the eggs. He knew they couldn't risk casting any enchantments directly on the eggs, because it could alter how the dragons behave once they have hatched. So instead, they would all pick an egg to hold on to, and then enchant the air around the rest to be more difficult to be shoved. The power from this enchantment would be drawn from the other Eldunari that were with Eragon, recovered from the poisoned island of Vroengard, offered to form the enchantment, of which eragon was grateful.

After all of the necessary enchantments were set in place, there was naught for them to do but wait for the storm to subside. Trusting their enchantments, the only thing Eragon feared was the Nidwhal that lurked in great oceans. They were cousins to dragons, and could use their mind to incapacitate weak prey before devouring them. Their size was great, and his last encounter with one was on his quest to Vroengard, where it would have eaten him and saphira whole, had Glaedr not noticed it and warned them to leave. He peered into its mind for a brief moment, and saw nothing but the darkest hatred he had ever felt, and it made him want to run to the middle of a desert, for only there would he feel safe.

_Strong as they may be, they are not strong enough to breach this ship. _Glaedr advised Eragon

_And even if they tried, they would be hopeless against our combined assault. I assure you, there is nothing to be concerned about. _

_Perhaps, but the memory of it is no less unpleasant. _

_Very well. _

Another wave beat the hull of the ship

And another

And another…

Minutes and minutes passed in darkness, until the rhythm of the ships violent rocking began to slow, and it seemed that all would indeed be well. When the rocking stopped, they lit a light and counted their eggs.

_Forty-five, Forty-six, Forty-Seven… one is missing._

Immediately Eragon became paralyzed with fear. These eggs were more precious than gold, and losing even one would be a travesty. They all began to search for it with haste, until they saw a purple shard of egg shell next to a doorway, where Yaela had put herself in

_Oh, no no no, it can't be broken _He prayed, if only to himself. He reached out to Saphira and noticed that she was equally as worried, and he walked to the door to see for himself. He reached the door and opened it and saw Yaela crouched on the ground, next to a broken egg…

And a tiny, amethyst coloured dragon hatchling.

Eragon was both amazed and relieved. Dragons did not hatch for just anyone, and having one hatch for you was how you became a Rider. Yaela was exuberated, holding the dragon in her palm and petting its' tiny head

"He hatched during the storm, I thought it'd be best if I waited before saying anything, to avoid causing extra commotion" Yaela said to him. Eragon was amazed. He had considered the possibility of a dragon hatching while on the boat, but had quickly dismissed it as an afterthought. _You have been blessed with a great honor, Yaela. Should you ever need consultation, Eragon and I will gladly assist you_

"Thank you, Brightscales. I believe I will name him… Emiar." Yaela said in response, not looking up from the hatchling. Even Glaedr, despite not saying anything, seemed to be joyous. Eragon then wondered to himself where Blodgharm had gone, and if he knew what had happened. It was then that he heard a yell from the top of the ship

"Come forth, I see an island in the distance" Eragon rushed upward, unable to hide his relief that they would not be sailing for much longer. Upon gazing towards the island, Eragon was Bewildered. The island seemed massive, which was one of the most crucial aspects, seeing as the island was meant to house dragons.

So towards the land they sailed. Upon reaching the shore, they elected Yaela to keep watch over the eggs while they explored the terrain, and to contact them if anything happened. The island was vibrant with nature and wildlife. Eragon could hear birds chirping within the trees and small critters darting between the brush. In the distance, massive mountains could be seen, one even breaking through the sky. Eragon, in all his creative wisdom, decided to call it Skybreak mountain.

Upon venturing further inland, he found a large, plain section of land that seemed equal distance between the ocean and the mountains. He decided to make a bonfire pit for when night inevitably came upon them. He reached outward towards the rest of the group to tell them to meet him there.

_Saphira, gather the others. I wish to speak to everyone here. _

_Very well _Saphira said to him. He could see her flying across the sky, first towards the ship and then around the dense forest area, even towards the mountains. After what felt like an hour, everyone was at the fire pit. "This place seems perfect. Upon your agreement, we will make this place our home, and we will raise them here" Eragon advised to them. They all murmured in agreement.

"The land is expansive, and the wildlife is abundant. I can think of no better place to house the riders of new" Blodgharm elated, and even Emiar seemed excited.

_We've done it saphira, we have found our home_

_Indeed we have, little one. _


End file.
